Educational device



April 1953 c. JO BISHOP EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1950 4 0 2 4 1 A M Z V J J/ L VI 2 p X 2 K%X VJL o; J% W 4Q O V H w OJ & 2 0; H u L i Z a z. m lmm L E -C A gRIII F S L m a $6 1 a. 4 E m 5 HD&Q 4 C P Tau 3 m M 2 B1 0 :0 2( A N l 3/\ L F7- m m v m W W W 00ml J0 Bishop m N m w A Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Coral J Bishop, Atlanta, Ga.

Application February 28, 1950, Serial No. 146,844

This invention relates to workboards and more particularly to workboards for practice in spelling, number work and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a workboard to aid students in learning the alphabet and numbers, spelling, arithmetic, sentence formation and punctuation.

Another objects is to provide a workboard having conveniently arranged number and letter cards and a work space in which these cards can be placed to form words or sentences, to execute arithmetic problems or the like.

A further object is to provide a workboard having removable number and letter cards arranged for easy and convenient removal.

A further object is to provide a workboard having pockets for removable number and letter cards and a work space provided with slots for receiving the cards.

These and other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as well hereinafter be more fully set forth and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my educational game with the cover removed;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with the cover in place;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure I;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview of the back of one of the cards used with this device; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the front of the card shown in Figure 6.

The workboard of my invention may take various forms but the embodiment shown in the drawing is preferred for its simplicity and inexpensive construction. In this embodiment, the workboard has a flat preferably square back 20 which may be of cardboard, wood, plywood or the like and a low marginal flange 2| of wood, plywood or the like extends around the edge of the back 20 to form a relatively shallow box. A suitable cover 22 of cardboard or the like extends over the wall 2| and encloses the box.

The upper part of the workboard is provided with a plurality of vertical dividers 23 and horizontal strips 24 which may be of wood, cardboard or the like and which are suitably fastened to the back 20 as for example by gluing. In the 1' Claim. (CI. 3573) embodiment illustrated, the vertical and horizontal dividers 23 and 24 form two rows of thirteen pockets each to accommodate the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. At each pocket, the back 20 is preferably marked with the appropriate letter for the particular pockets as shown in Figure 1 where all of the pockets are empty except that containing the letter G.

The letters used with my workboard are printed on stiff cards 25 which may be paper, cardboard, plastic or the like and are preferably rectangular. Cards one inch wide and two inches high have been found to be satisfactory. The lower case letter is preferably printed on one side of the card 25 and the capital on the other side as shown in Figures 6 and '7. A plurality of cards 25 is furnished for each letter and the strips 24 are preferably inclined as shown in Figure 3 so that the edge of each card 25 will be displaced relative to the card below it in the pocket to facilitate removal of single cards.

The bottom of the 'box is provided with vertical dividers 26 and a horizontal strip 21 similar to the dividers 23 and strips 24 and similarly secured to the back 20. The dividers 26 and strip 2! form pockets to receive cards 28 similar in form and construction to the cards 25 but printed with numbers and symbols. The symbols printed on the reverse sides of the number cards 1 to 0 are largely a matter of choice and in one embodiment of my invention I have used the symbols 0 and respectively. The

'lower row of pockets also contains space for cards printed with mathmatical symbols such as X and and the reverse side of these cards preferably printed with the number or symbol corresponding to the cards 28 the particular lower pocket is to contain. The strip 21 is inclined similarly to the strips 24 tofacilitate removal of single cards 28 from the pockets.

The work space is located in the center of the workboard between the upper and lower rows of pockets. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the work space is provided with a plurality of slots formed by horizontal strips 30 which extent from one side of the workboard to the other and may extend under the wall 2| as shown in Figure 5. These strips 30 may be of wood, cardboard, plastic or the like and I prefer to secure the strips 30 to spacers 3| which are in turn secured to the back 20. The spacers 3| are prefchild or illiterate could be taught the alphabet by removing all of the cards from the pockets and memorizing the letters appearing on the board. Insertion of the cards back into the pockets would provide practice in matching the letters and in learning the sequence of the letters in the alphabet. The same result with respect to the numbers could be accomplished in the same general way.

In the work space provided by the strips 30 words can be spelled, sentences formed and simple arithmetic problems performed by taking the various cards from their respective pockets and placing them in proper sequence in the work space. The board illustrated contains the letters, numbers and symbols for simple word and sentence construction and simple arithmetic problems but it is apparent that cards bearing other symbols can be added to increase the scope of the board. The symbols included can also be used for different purposes. For example, the quotation mark and apostrophe could be used for problems involving inches and feet, and the period for decimal problems. The oblique line could be used for fractions and the symbols for dollar, cent, percent etc, permit the execution of more complex arithmetic problems.

I have found it an advantage to form the strips 24, 27, and 30 of a distinguishin color such as green or red for example. This color aids the user in proper location of the letters or figures for exercises or for return to the proper pockets.

All of the uses of my workboard require manual manipulation of the letter and number cards which is very helpful in establishing coordination of hand movement with mental activity. For this reason my workboard is especially helpful for children unable to write but sufliciently progressed in learning to be ready for spelling, reading and number Work such as the cerebral palsied and paralytics.

My workboard can also be put to other uses such a use as a conversation board by mutes, the non-vocal aphasic Or the deaf and may also provide educational entertainment. for shut-in children.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I am able to obtain the objects of my invention and provide a new and useful workboard on which words may be spelled, sentences formed and arithmetic problems executed in a pleasing and attractive fashion. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of my invention or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

An educational device comprising a substantially flat surface of generally rectangular configuration, means forming a first series of pockets extending horizontally across said surface and adjacent to one edge thereof, means forming a second series of pockets extending horizontally across said surface and adjacent toan opposite edge thereof, said pocket forming means including side and bottom closures for each of said pockets, each of said pockets being adapted to contain a plurality of flat cards bearing preselected indicia. thereon in a vertical, upstanding position, said bottom closures being inclined upwardly and outwardly from said surface so as to vertically displace the cards in said pockets relative to each other thereby facilitating the removal of cards one at a time, the portion of aid surface above and behind each pocket being marked with the indicia of the cards to be contained in the respective pockets, and a plurality of working channels extending horizontally across said surface be.- tween said first and second series of pockets, said channels being adapted to support and retain cards in selected arrangements.

CORAL JO BISHOP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 293,731 Hamilton Feb. 19, 1884 691,113 Catlin Jan, 14, 1902 793,676 Olivera July 4, 1905 1,148,616 Paul et a1. Aug. 3, 1915 1,354,910 Ketchum Oct. 5, 1920 1,514,270 Thomson Nov. 4, 1924 1,857,009 Amor May 3, 1932 2,474,447 Wheelock June 28, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,432 Great Britain 1890 169,621 Great Britain Oct. 6. 1921 282,926 Germany Mar. 27, 1915 373,598 Germany Apr. 13, 1923 744,114 France Jan. 21, 1933 

